My Foray into My Midwestern Roots

#21 on the Ahnentafel Chart

Randy Seaver of, GeneaMusings, offers a bit of fun each Saturday night. Two days ago, he came asked “Who’s number 21 on your ahnentafel list?”

This is a list whereby one’s ancestors are in a particular order. For example – I am number 1 on my list. My father is number 2 and mother is number 3. Paternal grandparents are next at number 4 and 5. Maternal grandparents would be 6 and 7. Get the picture?

Number 21 on my list would be my paternal 2nd great-grandmother, Julia Ann Lewis. Up until last summer, I didn’t have a maiden name for her. She was just “Julia A.” married to Florus Allen House. Then I found several death certificates of their children listing her maiden name.

Julia was born the day before Christmas in 1815. I have no documentation as to her place of birth except it is reported in the 1850-1880 censuses as Ohio. In the 1880 census she listed her parents’ birthplace as Virginia but I don’t know if that was Virginia as it is known today or the part of Virginia that broke from the state to become West Virginia.

Julia and Florus A. House married probably before 1838. Their oldest child, a daughter, Emily – age 12, is listed in the 1850 Census as being born in Michigan. Florus had been living in Michigan prior to Ohio so that is possible. She doesn’t appear on any other censuses of this household, and I haven’t been able to document her death or her marriage.

Julia and Florus went on to have a total of 11 children. One daughter, Teressa, died at 3 years and 3 months. One son, John, died at age 6 and yet another, George, died at less than one day. My great-grandfather, James Emory House, was the second son and third child of this couple. The family lived in Coshocton County, Ohio most of their married life.

Julia died eight years after her husband, on October 6, 1899 in Coshocton and is reportedly buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery in Coshocton County. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of this couple or their children (not even my great-grandfather). I’m hoping that another descendent and distant cousin may share some photos someday.